Schwarzenegger finally gets sponsor for health plan _ a Democrat

AP via SFGate ^ | 8/24/7 | LAURA KURTZMAN, Associated Press Writer

[SmithL]

SACRAMENTO, (AP) -- Democratic Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez plans to introduce Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's health care reform plan next week to test whether it can win the two-thirds vote necessary for passage.

"Our goal here is to push health care forward," Steve Maviglio, a spokesman for Nunez, said Friday. "But we need to see what level of support there is for the governor's plan, and the only way to do that is to bring it to a vote."

The governor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Schwarzenegger's ideas have languished without a legislative sponsor since he laid them out in January, and they have been criticized by the left and the right. Republicans are especially negative, refusing to support the plan because they say it raises taxes.

But Schwarzenegger insists the $12 billion reform plan, which aims to draw billions of dollars in additional federal funding, could win support from both parties. A two-thirds majority in the Legislature is needed to pass the law and avoid lawsuits over the charges the plan would assess on employers, hospitals and doctors.

The Legislative Counsel's Office has judged those charges to be taxes, and therefore they can be enacted only with a two-thirds majority.

[SmithL]

Nunez Likes HillaryCare? Now, there's a surprise.

[edcoil]

“$12 billion reform plan, which aims to draw billions of dollars in additional federal funding”

So something that costs us 12 Billion dollars more and will have another branch of government and have people in Michigan pay taxes to pay for Californian’s health care is suppose to be a better, more efficient and less costly system.

Arnold truly is a fool.

[NormsRevenge]

LOLOL.. That’s our Gubby!

[calcowgirl]

The Legislative Counsel's Office has judged those charges to be taxes, and therefore they can be enacted only with a two-thirds majority.

That is encouraging.

[goldstategop]

Its NOT going to get a single CAGOP vote. Its a tax hiking business burden promoting plan only Hillary could love. The plan is DOA.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[goldstategop]

Yep. If they try to disguise the taxes as "fees" to pass it without Republican votes, its headed for the courts. I don't see this going anywhere in the time remaining in the current legislative session. I believe in the most important principle of all: "Do No Harm." By doing precisely nothing that would undermine the health of California's economy and jeopardize people's current access to quality health care. I call it common sense. Which is in short supply in Sacramento.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[calcowgirl]

I was watching CNN news this afternoon. The Robert Wood Johnson (a past large donor to Arnie) Foundation was running advertisements for universal health care—a bunch of children stating how important it was to have health insurance. It ended with something like “call your representatives.” I wasn’t paying enough attention to hear if they were talking State or federal.

The propaganda begins!